Rory & Jess: The Sequel
by Christine Writer
Summary: Sequel to the hit Rory and Jess, which now has over twenty five thousand hits, but I can't tell much more. R&R, my lovely reviewers! Christian Content!
1. Lizzie

"Rory, I think Lizzie needs a change." Jess Mariano said to his wife. "She keeps on saying, 'Poopy.'"

"Well," Rory sighed, "you can never tell if she's telling the truth. Sometimes, she just says that." Rory caught a whiff of her daughter's diaper. It reeked. "Okay, Lizzie. You do have a poopy. Let's fix that, okay?" she grinned down at her two year old as she changed her.

"Daddy's got to go now," Jess tickled Lizzie when Rory was finished with her. "But I'll be back later, okay Lizzie?" Lizzie burst into tears.

"It's okay, Lizzie. Daddy will be home later." Rory consoled Lizzie with a bottle. Lizzie sucked on the bottle contentedly, and while Rory faced Lizzie away from the door, Jess snuck out. Lizzie quickly realized that her parents had tricked her and began crying again. Rory eventually calmed her down by reading to her from the book of Psalms.

Jess shook his head as he drove away from Stars Hollow. He couldn't believe that less than four years ago, he had been blind. Spiritually and physically. And today, he had Rory and Lizzie. God was certainly good to Jess. 

Today was the day he had to turn his newest book into the publishing house in Philadelphia. He wondered if he should have gotten a new editor. This book was his autobiographical experience with being blind for four months. His editor would love it--it had everything. But Jess couldn't help but wonder what his editor would think when she read how he had regained his sight. Jess always tried really hard to share his faith with others, but his editor had not been receptive.

Jess, a gentle voice reminded him, Do not be discouraged, for I am with you wherever you go. Jess relaxed. God would give him the strength and courage to share with his editor, and to turn in his book.

Lord, he thought, what should I do? Should I take my book to the Christian publishers? Jess had researched the matter, and there was a Christian publishing house just outside Philadelphia, in Fort Washington.

No, the Lord replied, You need to minister to Truncheon publishers.

Okay. Jess agreed. Whatever your will is, Lord.

He drove to Truncheon uneasily, and presented his editor with the manuscript. "Thanks, Jess." the editor said. "Look, I know we've had differences since you married Rory, but I want to thank you for staying with Truncheon Publishing."

"No problem." Jess obliged.

"Is there any...Christian content?" the editor asked, as if the manuscript contained anthrax.

"Plenty of it." Jess answered truthfully. "Look, Mike, I can't change the facts. I was literally blind for four months, and God gave my sight back to me. I was on the fast track to getting myself killed here in Philly and he slowed me down long enough for me to see everything in a different perspective."

"Then Truncheon Books will be proud to publish this manuscript." Mike said, and placed the package on the pile he had other editors take care of.

"You're my editor, Mike. Jonathan and Stacey aren't. You have to read it."

"Fine." Mike looked quite put out, but took it out of the manila envelope and began reading it. "Happy?" he asked Jess. 

"Couldn't be any happier." Jess assured him. 


	2. Laughing

This chapter is especially for Briana. You know who you are!

Jess drove home, pleased that Mike had agreed to read the manuscript. He pulled into the driveway. Rory and Lizzie were there to greet him.

"How did it go?" Rory asked.

"Really great! Mike is opening up!"

"Praise the Lord!" she smiled. "Now come inside; I have a surprise for you."

"Really?" he grinned. "I wonder what that could be?"

They went inside and Jess saw that there was hot food sitting on the table. Everything looked great! Then he noticed that the trash contained telltale Luke's containers.

"Hey," Rory read his thoughts, "there is a total advantage to living on Apricot Street! It's just seconds away from Luke's!"

"I thought that Luke and Sookie were teaching you how to cook!" he teased.

"They are, but I'm a slow learner."

"It's been how long?"

"Since what? Since we got married?" Rory asked. Jess nodded.

"Three years."

"So..."

"I told you, I'm a slow learner!" she laughed, snapping a dishtowel at him.

"Aw, come on--even your mom learned to cook two years ago!"

"Not true--" Rory grinned. "Luke is still working on her!" They shared a laugh, and Lizzie laughed along. Both parents had the same thought at the same time: They were so blessed!


	3. Pain

Soon, Jess Mariano's second book, "But Now I See", was the first inspirational non-fiction book to sell 4 million copies in its first 48 hours on shelves.

Comments began pouring in. Both elated and enraged readers responded, and the threatening comments worried Rory. There were dozens of death threats, and Jess stayed at home most of the time to avoid being followed to and from Philadelphia.

One day, Jess received a phone call. "Hey, Jess. It's Marcus from Truncheon." the voice said.

"Hey, Marcus." Jess replied.

"I know that things are crazy, but Truncheon needs you here, man. Mike needs you in Philly."

Jess had misgivings, but agreed to drive to Philadelphia to meet with Mike. He was on his way, almost to Philly, when he heard one gunshot, and then another. He registered pain, and then nothing at all.

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Sorry for the quick chapter, but I want to keep the story moving, I like cliffhangers, and I'm pressed for time.


	4. Worried

A/N: Nice long chapter! I own nothing!

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Jess woke that night, in a hospital room. Rory, Lizzie, Luke, Lorelai, Emily and Richard were all present.

"Oh, thank God you're awake!" Rory rushed to his side, enveloping him in her arms. "I was so worried!"

"What happened?" he managed to ask.

"Well," Rory told him, tears in her eyes, "you were on your way to Philadelphia and someone shot you. One bullet shot out the car window, and one entered and exited the back of your neck. It's a miracle straight from God that you're still alive. The bullet grazed your spinal cord, but it's intact.

"They were going to perform emergency surgery," Rory continued, "but the pre-op X-rays showed that the bone grew back on its own within twenty minutes." Jess was shocked and surprised.

"So if it was fine, what's the deal? Can I go home tomorrow?"

"Well, Jess," the doctor entered the room. "We'll have to see how you fare. Someone wanted you dead, and our job is to prevent that from happening." Jess allowed this information to sink in.

"Did they catch the shooter?" Jess asked.

"Unfortunately, we didn't." A police officer entered the now cramped room. "But we've placed guards around both the hospital and your room." the officer smiled. "We've got to protect our own, you know." The officer was referring to the fact that the city of Philadelphia had sort of adopted Jess, even though he had been born and raised elsewhere, and called him its own.

"Thanks." Jess said. "You've all done so much for me, and I hate to ask you to leave, but could I have a minute with--"

"Your wife and daughter." Lorelai spoke for the first time since Jess had woken up. "Definitely." she herded everyone but Rory and Lizzie out of the room, and closed the door behind herself as she left.

"I was so worried..." Rory repeated, settling herself and Lizzie on the edge of the bed.

"It's okay." Jess comforted her, drawing her in close for a kiss. "They didn't get me."

"Are you sure this is what God wants you to do?" Rory asked, bluntly.

"Yes. I'm absolutely sure." Jess confirmed.

"Okay." she nodded, leaning in for another kiss, lingering over his weak frame. She stood up from the bed, and placed their now-sleeping daughter in the nearby stroller. She returned to the bed, sitting on the edge again and laying down so that her head rested on Jess's chest. "I love you." she whispered. Jess leaned forward with his head and kissed her on the head.

"I love you, too." he whispered back, wrapping his arms caressingly around his wife, wishing to shield her from the world around them. "I love you." he repeated. And then, both parents fell asleep, dreaming together.


	5. Love

Rory woke before Jess the next morning, and she slipped out for coffee. She wasn't worried about Lizzie; she'd found a note taped to her forehead. It said that Lorelai and Luke had taken Lizzie to the Philadelphia Zoo for the day.

She called Lorelai, just to make sure that the note was legitimate. It was, and Rory felt badly for doubting it, but then she realized that her conscience was right to have doubted it. Jess had been shot the day before, and kidnapping was rather common. She thanked God that Lizzie was okay.

When she returned with coffee, Jess was awake. "Where's Lizzie?" he asked.

"She's with her grandparents." Rory smiled. "They took her to the zoo."

"Good." he smiled back at her. "That means that I have you all to myself today. Come here." Rory obeyed and sat on the bed with him. He pulled her in close and kissed her. "I'm glad that you're here."

"I'm glad, too." her smile widened, and she laid down so she was in his arms once more. "This is the only place in the world I want to be."

He leaned in over her, and kissed her again. She returned the kiss, and they settled into the bed, and once more fell asleep together. 


	6. Shooter

Jess and Rory returned to Stars Hollow after Jess's release from the hospital. Lizzie was staying with Richard and Emily for safety. Jess and Rory prayed every day and night that the police would find the shooter.

A week after Jess and Rory had returned home, the Philadelphia police called. They told the Marianos that the shooter was an upset reader from Philadelphia. A leftist, he had liked Jess's first book, but had decidedly despised _But Now I See_. He had posed as a friend of Jess's to obtain Jess's cell phone number from Truncheon Books. Then he had called Jess, lured him into Philadelphia, and waited.

He had borrowed a gun from a friend, claiming to be going to the range. He had waited for Jess a mile from Truncheon Books, and had shot when Jess was in view. The plan was not elaborate, simply well-timed. If the shots had been any closer together time wise, the police told the Marianos, Jess probably would've been paralyzed, or even killed. The shooter, William Macksterone, had been careless, however, and had left the gun behind when he fled from the scene.

Once confronted by the police, William had admitted to the plan, the shooting, and was quickly arrested. He was now waiting for a hearing. Rory and Jess listened to the police, wrote down some information about what was needed of them, and hung up the phone.

"Now, let's pray." Jess took Rory's hands into his. They bowed their heads, and Jess prayed. "Father God, we thank you that the police found William Macksterone, and I pray for him to draw closer to you through this—"

"Jess!" Rory interrupted her husband. "Why are you praying for the man who almost killed you?"

"He needs saving, too." Jess said simply, but firmly. Rory nodded, and Jess finished, "Lord, we just pray for William's salvation. In Your name, Amen."


	7. Blessed

Rory and Jess prayed each day for William Macksterone. Lizzie returned to them, and they were happy to have her home. They prayed that William would be saved, and that he would have peace. They thanked God that he had confessed, and that they could settle out of court. William's plea bargain was fifteen years in prison for premeditated and attempted murder. Jess decided to stay home for a while with Rory and Lizzie.

A few weeks later, Rory began feeling sick to her stomach. She was tired all the time, and wondered why, until she missed an important date. She took a pregnancy test, and it tested positive. Both Rory and Jess rejoiced, and immediately told Luke and Lorelai. The whole town then heard, and soon, everyone was congratulating the Marianos.

As the months wore on, Rory realized that she hadn't felt the same way when she'd been pregnant with Lizzie. She went to her doctor, who found that the baby, a little boy, was turned the wrong way. Rory's due date was fast approaching, and seven months into the pregnancy, turning the baby around would be complicated. Everyone in town waited with bated breath. Thirty-two weeks in, the baby still hadn't turned.

One afternoon, Rory was working in the kitchen when her water broke. She called Jess, and an ambulance. Jess was waiting when she arrived. "It's too early!" she sobbed, grasping his hand.

"It's going to be okay." he soothed, leaning over the gurney and kissing her tenderly. "You're going to be okay."

"When her water broke, it also broke the amniotic sac, which caused the umbilical cord to drop down, and it became compressed." the doctor explained to Jess, just out of Rory's earshot. "At this point, oxygen is having a hard time flowing to the baby. We're going to have to perform a C-section."

"Okay." Jess nodded, freaking out on the inside, but keeping calm outwardly, for Rory's sake. "Do what you have to do."

"Okay, Mrs. Mariano," the doctor addressed Rory, "we're going to do a C-section to get this little one out, okay? You're going to be just fine."

"Lizzie! Where's Lizzie?" Rory realized she'd forgotten about her first child.

"Babette's watching her." Jess reassured his wife.

"Okay. I'm ready." Rory calmed down.

"I love you." Jess kissed her once more, and waited until she was out of view to take a seat in the waiting room.

Eons later, it seemed to Jess, a nurse came and told him that Rory and the baby were both fine, and waiting to see him. He entered Rory's room and immediately rushed to her side. He kissed her, and she smiled. She lifted the small bundle in her arms up into Jess's. "It seems that even though this little boy was six weeks early, he's actually as healthy and normal as can be, despite his unique method of entering the world."

"It's quite a miracle you've got there." the doctor came into the room.

"God is so good!" Jess agreed, cradling his son in his arms.

"What are we going to name him?" Rory asked.

"Something to do with a miracle, or something." Jess reasoned.

"My son's name is Bennett," the doctor offered. "It means "little blessed one" in Latin."

"Perfect!" Rory and Jess agreed in unison, and laughed.

"Welcome to the world, Bennett." Jess whispered in his son's ear. "You're going to make it an incredible place."

THE END

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A/N: Thanks for reading this story! I hoped you like the ending, and little blessed Bennett! God Bless!


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